^

Everyone who has successfully upgraded: pardon my naïveté, but was it free or did you have to provide a credit card number to pay a difference in taxes?

Paid no fee.

Yes, but where were you travelling from? Greece may well not charge different taxes for Y or J travel, but the UK certainly does!

At the time of checkin you’ll see which seats are free for you.

I don’t think it’s worth it. There are two advantages: nice snack (no hot meal) and blocked middle seat (especially good in the summer).

Reservation only through the phone, unless you wait till CI is open (-48 hrs). No real need for a seat map if you’re in C. Ask for a row with a number lower than 5 (first row with shorter leg room), aisle or window.

I guess you’re absolutely right. I always choose first row behind the curtain and I’ve never been re-seated (except for two upgrades at the gate/lounge) in hundreds of flights with A3, in contrast to a recent flight with LX!

It seems that the process of upgrading yourself and hoping to book your companion right behind you in the first seat of coach will be risky, as such first row economy seats may have already be taken by other Golds (and these seats tend to be booked first), or the economy cabin moves back resulting to a few, or at worst, many rows of separation (if last minute addition of a business row sends your companion to the back of the plane, middle seats, etc).

As I said, I've never encountered that in about 500 flights with A3! But since there are two sides on the medal (and more ;)), if that happened you can look at it differently:

- that would finally leave you some time alone w/o your companion; or
- that would increase the joy of meeting your partner again upon arrival; or
- it would make your partner even more angry because if you are bussed in ATH or SKG, your partner would also be waiting inside the plane while you're already in the terminal; and so on...

Conclusion: Switch seats, you fly coach and your companion gets your seat up front (anyway, you didn't pay for it!). This would make your partner extremely happy and (s)he would make a "gift" tou you, especially since the with the second possibility above would still apply.

These are good points, except if your companion I apprehensive about flying, and the other one is a child, so the prospect of having your family scattered all around the plane is not ideal...

Regardless, can Golds choose specific seats for themselves and companions on the phone before the 48-hour window, because you cannot do that online I believe (at least not until online check-in opens).

Also, if your companions are on a different PNR (because it was cheaper to book tickets separately), can you choose specific economy seats for them on the phone when you call to upgrade yourself?

One has read about many complains about A3's CS, basically because of the dismal show they produced with the new IT. Still, one should see the "human" side of A3's agents. Just my most recent example:

About 10 days ago, when I was called to change my booking due to the strike, the agent on the phone suggested that she could reserve seats for me and my wife (on a different PNR) for the return trip before asking whether she was gold or not (she hadn't checked her reservation as her outgoing flight was on a different day)!

What I think you should do is call them (yes, you can reserve your seat by phone before CI), say that you have a child with you and ask for a seat in the last row of the business class and a firm reservation for your child in the first row of coach (and your wife, of course). Then, during the flight, if a whole business class row is empty (happens often) you could even ask the purser whether she'd allow your kid to fly in the front with you. My experience with them says that they will fulfil both of your requests. Kids are Kings in Greece, they will never refuse anything to satisfy it!

Ok, good suggestions, it is worth trying...This could work if you are close to the day of the flight (although kind of late for gold upgrades at that point), but at least the business/economy line may be more clear. I am not sure how "firm" a seat assignment on the first row of "moveable" economy would be 5-8 months before the date of your flight, but it is worth trying I guess....

That may be the greatest trick for an upgrade - Its quite common to call people well into their 30s a 'kid' in Greece ;) Ax if things were only so easy.. :p

:D:D Very true.

I have just upgraded my ATH-LHR (flex fare) flight, no fee:cool:

Well, I'm in rhe Aegean club at ATH right now (with a nice full stomafh after skipping breakfast), so I can confirm that the Silver loinge access coupons work a treat!

The lady on the front desk was very pleased: "Oooh, you're my first coupon!". Very friendly people.

She must be a newbie , I know of at least 2 who have used them last week ;)